'Top Three in the World' selected in each of five World Car Award categories

The three finalists in each of five World Car Awards (WCA) categories were announced today in a press conference at the Geneva Motor Show.

The five categories include the overall World Car of the Year, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year.

The 'Road to the World Car' journey began at the Paris auto show last September when the eligible contenders were revealed and it will conclude at the New York International Auto Show on April 2, 2015 when the winners in each category will be declared.

The 'Top Three in the World' as the finalists in each of the five award categories are characterized are as follows:

2015 World Car of the Year

> Ford Mustang

> Mercedes-Benz C-Class

> Volkswagen Passat

2015 World Luxury Car

> BMW i8

> Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

> Range Rover Autobiography Black LWB

2015 World Performance Car

> BMW M4 Coupe/M3 Sedan

> Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupe

> Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

2015 World Green Car

> BMW i8

> Mercedes-Benz S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID

> Volkswagen Golf GTE

2015 World Car Design of the Year

> Citroën C4 Cactus

> Mercedes-Benz C-Class

> Volvo XC90

The winners are selected by secret ballot from a jury of 75 international automotive journalists from 21 countries, based on their experience with each candidate as part of their professional work. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulate the jurors’ ballots.

The 2014 World Car of the Year was the Audi A3.

Supporting partners of the World Car Awards include the New York International Auto Show, Prime Research, Bridgestone and Autoneum.